Why Biotechnology is important for Bangladesh?

Bangladesh is a developing country. Our economy depends on agriculture. We have enough land. Our soil composition and climate is suitable for production of various crops or other important plants.

Otherwise biotechnology is highly multidisciplinary and has its foundations in many fields including agriculture.  So we have a great scope to use this technology.

Now, Biotechnology is a modern science and modern sophisticated technique though out the world. Undoubtedly, the modern biotechnology is expected to solve many problems arising at the global level. The 21^st century will no doubt experience a tremendous development. Also in 21^st century growth and economy of a country will certainly depend on operation of biotechnology. A revolution may occur in some of areas like medical and health care, agriculture, industry and environment.

Many developing countries like India use their scientists and technologist for developing their country through biotechnology and they take this issue as a national strategy. From long since the country like U.S.A, France, Germany and Japan have taken this issue seriously and these developed countries produce modified crops, medicine, vaccine, GM food and marketing these products. For example they supplied generation controlled MG seeds of high yielding crops.

Farmers use these seeds and they also give up our native species. For this reason extinct our native species. In this situation we may fall into a trap, if they do not supply their seeds at any time.

To overcome such type of problem we need to create our own technology and skilled manpower.

1. We can use-DNA technology to produce GM crops, Resistance variety, Bio-fertilizer etc. So, we need biotechnology.
2. Through Somatic hybridization we can develop combined crops like Pomato (Potato + Tomato).
3. We should use DNA fingerprinting for detection of criminals and some other purposes.
4. To develop Human diagnostics and therapeutic drugs, Gene therapy, vaccine production we need biotechnology.
5. We need biotechnology to save our endangered jute, sugarcane and some other plants and animal.
6. We need biotechnology to better management of waste and re-use them.
7. We can solve our fuel problem by the production of bio-fuel through biotechnology.

The twenty first century will be the age of Biochemistry, more particularly, the age of biotechnology and under a new era man’s quest for better and healthy living, luxury and knowing the unknown. To achieve this interdisciplinary inter-organizational and international cooperation is very much to be solicited.

In conclusion, we can say that, for better development of our country we should apply Biotechnology in every sector like medical and health care, agriculture, industrial and environmental issue.

Genetically modified crops

The bodies of any organisms are composed with one or multiple number of cells. The cell contains genetic material into its nucleus. A chromosome is the visible state of genetic material during the metaphase stage of cell division. The number of chromosomes is specific for different organism. For example- Wheat diploid cell contains 42 chromosomes, otherwise Rice contains 24 chromosomes. Actually chromosome is the well organized super helical forms of DNA. It is the blueprint of life. The DNA can express into a functional polypeptide (Protein, Enzyme or Hormones) via MRNA intermediate. This functional polypeptide can express or regulate a biological character. So directly we can say that gene can express as a character. This gene can pass into the next generation through the gamete.

Genetically modified means the modification creates into its original natural genetic setup of a cell or organism. The ultimate purpose of genetic modification is to make it capable of performing the desired function. So the genetically modified crops are plants which DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques to improve its yields and quality and also to resist pest and agent causing harm to plants. In most cases the ultimate aim of genetic engineering is to introduce a new threat to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species.

At the first genetically modified tobacco plant was produced in 1982 through the expression of bacterial antibiotic resistance gene. Then in 1986 in the USA and France occurred field trial of herbicide resistance tobacco plant. After that, in 1987 Marc Van Montagu Company developed insect tolerance tobacco plant by transferring insecticidal protein coding Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene. In 1994 the U.S. government approved genetically modified Flavr Savr tomato. For the first time in 2000 scientist modify the nutrient value of rice and produced golden rice. The modified varieties are increasing day by day. Now approximately 120 genetically modified crops are available in the world. Generally the genetically modified Alfalfa, Rapeseed, Corn (Maize), Cotton, Potato, Rice, Soybeans, Squash, sugar beet, sugar-cane, Sweet peppers, Tomatoes and Wheat variety are available throughout the world.

Usually the genetic alteration is done by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated gene transfer or biolistic method. In case of Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated gene transfer, at first we should isolate the desired gene which we want to transfer into the target crops. Then we need to select a suitable vector as a carrier of desirable genetic. After that,  we cut the vector and desired gene with the suitable restriction enzyme and ligate them by ligase enzyme. Then we transfer the vector into the Agrobacterium tumefaciens cell. Then the crop plant cell is infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Thus it can transfer the desirable gene into the plant cell. There are some other technique are used for gene transfer to create genetically modified crops. They are a virus vector technique, microinjection technique, receptor mediated gene delivery, embryo therapy through IVF technology etc.

The genetically modified crops are high yielding, biotic stress tolerance (disease resistance, Insect resistance, herbicide resistance, Pathogen resistance) and abiotic stress tolerance (Heat, Cold, Nutritional stress resistance) variety. Through genetically modified crops can produce drugs, vitamins, minerals etc. Now we can modify the test of food through genetically modified crops. The genetically modified crops are high yielding and easy to management to a farmer. For high yielding capacity it can fulfill our food demand of our large quantity of people and play an important role in food safety. Also the genetically modified crops are friendly to our environment because it is bioherbicides and bioinsecticides. It has capacity for conservation of soil, water, and energy and better management of natural waist. Although it has more advantages than natural crops but a few groups of people are against the genetically modified crops. They want to say genetically modified food act as allergens and also transfer antibiotic resistance property  to our body. Gene transfer through cross-pollination make a loss of flora and fauna from biodiversity. It may create domination of world food production by a few companies, increasing dependence on industrialized nations by developing countries and biopiracy-foreign exploitation of natural resources will increase. It may also create great ecological imbalance. But all of this complain and assumption are not true. Science does not create a destructive goods, only the scientists use the knowledge of science as a destructive form. So we can say that,  if our scientists use this knowledge of mankind, it will not create any harm to our people and ecology.

Application of Biotechnology in Medical sector.

Enzyme replacement therapy: When an organism’s body or cell are unable to produce any enzyme in the right quantity as a result of a genetic fault then the body of this organism cannot perform its normal function. Then it shows some symptoms of disease or abnormality. Biotechnology can solve this problem through In-vitro technique. Biotechnology can produce an enzyme and administered it to the person as a medicine that takes over the function of a similar enzyme that the person's own cells.

Gene therapy: This means using genes as medicine, for a person whose own genes have a fault. Genetic engineering can introduce a new gene into the person through In-vivo method. This gene can protect for the incorrect expression of own gene, and may also involve other action to stimulate an inactive gene.

Stem cell therapy: Stem cell is the special type of cell which has properties that enable them to grow into a variety of different tissue types. The knowledge of biotechnology is able to replace it for solving a particular tissue related health problem.

Xeno-transplantation of cells from animals to humans: This means collecting tissue from other animal species and transplanting it into a person, to replace or supplement particular tissue that is affected by a genetic condition. This technology also is used for other purposes such as heart valve replacements or skin grafts.

Targeted drug therapies: This means using the precise knowledge of the function of a gene, and the protein or enzyme it produces, to produce a drug that is intended to act only on that particular enzyme or protein, and produce a correction of its deficiency, or excess.

Cloning: Cloning is a technique that  involves the removal of the nucleus from one cell and its placement in an unfertilized egg cell whose nucleus has either been deactivated or removed. The cloning may be two purposes. In case of  reproductive cloning, After a few divisions, the egg cell is placed into a uterus where it is allowed to develop into a fetus that is genetically identical to the donor of the original nucleus. On the other hand, In case of  therapeutic cloning, the egg is placed into a petri dish where it develops into embryonic stem cells, which have shown potentials for treating several diseases or disorder. In February 1997, cloning became the focus of media attention when Ian Wilmut and his colleagues at the Roslin Institute announced the successful cloning of a sheep, named Dolly. 

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Application of Biotechnology in Industry

Metabolite Production:  Microorganisms produce a number of metabolites during their growth phase  using cheap substrates. Biotechnology can use genetically modified organism to produce desirable products. We can produce Alcohol, Antibiotics, Enzymes, Hormones, Proteins, Organic acids,  Vitamins and Minerals.

Biomass production: Genetically modified microorganisms employed to enhance the availability of nutrients, such as  nitrogen (by fixing atmospheric nitrogen) and phosphorus (by solublizing soil phosphorus), to the crops are called biofertilizers. Genetically modified Rhizobium spp., Blue-green Algae,  Azolla, Azotobacter and Azospirillum are efficient biofertilizer .

Waste treatment : Generally microbes can modify the waste product into the simple non toxic product. We can use genetically modified microorganisms for waste treatment purposes and to produce a valuable metabolic product from it.

Recovery of metals: Genetically modified microbes can be employed to recover valuable metals from low grade ores and also from dilute solutions for which the conventional metallurgical processes are uneconomical and, generally, rather polluting. Example-Desulphurization of Coals by Thiobacillus spp.

Production of biocontrol agents: Use of genetically modified microorganisms to control insect pests, pathogens or weeds constitutes biological control, and the biological agents employed for this purpose are called biocontrol agents. Bioinsecticides, biopesticides and bioherbicides are biocontrol agents.

Fermentation of food products: Fermentation is called old Biotechnology. But now ethanol is produced by fermenting grain through genetically modified microorganisms for high performance. Cellulose enzyme technology allows conversion of crop residues (stems, leaves and hulls) to ethanol. We can use this product as a biofuel that can reduce carbon-di-oxide emissions by more than 90% (compared to oil). Biotechnology allows for greater domestic energy production and it uses a renewable feedstock.

Benefits of Industrial Biotechnology: The benefits of industrial biotechnology are low input of substrate, high rate of output, friendly to the environment, renewable and increased efficiency.

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